THE Supreme Court has approved the retirement of Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Cristina J. Cornejo even if she has not yet reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 due to “permanent disability.”
In an en banc decision, the SC also resolved to grant Cornejo full retirement benefits that will be processed with dispatch.
The high court made the decision after medical records showed that Cornejo had been diagnosed with “acute cerebrovascular disease in bilateral cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres, controlled hypertension, systemic lupus erythematous, pancytopenia, colon cancer stage III s/p left hemicolectomy, and acute kidney injury secondary to poor oral intake.”
Cornejo has been on sick leave since June 13, 2016. She turned 66 years old last March 1 and has been in government service for more than 39 years, the last 30 years of which she had continuously rendered in the judiciary.
Meanwhile, the Judicial and Bar Council has transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte the short list of nominees to fill the vacancies in the Court of Appeals and Sandiganbayan.
During its session on Friday, the JBC, concurrently chaired by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, submitted to the President seven nominees as possible successor of Court of Appeals Associate Justice Francisco P. Acosta who will reach his compulsory retirement age tomorrow.
Included in the short list are Gregorio dela Pena III, Walter S. Ong and Joselito D. Vibandor, Marianthe Pacita M. Zuraek, Jeoffre W. Acebido, Anisah B. Amanodin-Umpa, and Tita Marilyn B. Payoyo-Villordon.
Recommended to succeed Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Roland Jurado who took an early retirement on Feb. 1, 2017 were Philip A. Aguinaldo, Maryann E. Corpus-Manalac, Danilo S. Cruz, Bayani H. Jacinto, and Rosanna Fe A. Romero-Maglaya.
